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Media Classification

Jun 22, 2015

Understanding the type of traffic in the network helps network administrators to manage bandwidth consumption for optimal network performance. The media classification mode monitors and displays the statistics of media traffic going through the NetScaler appliance.

With this mode enabled, a network administrators can collect stats showing the amount of data accessed, and the types of devices from which the media files have been accessed. The NetScaler appliance also supports byte-range requests in this mode.

Currently the NetScaler appliance can monitor and display statistics for the following media file types:

Media File Name Media File Type

Microsoft Smooth Streaming

Video

Apple Live Streaming

Video

Audio Data Transport Stream (ADTS)

Audio

Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)

Audio

Flash Video (FLV)

Audio and Video

3GP

Audio and Video

The appliance can display stats for the following devices:

Device Platform Device Type

iOS

iPad and iPod

Android

Mobiles and tablets

Laptop or Desktop

Windows laptop and desktop computers

Others

Other mobile devices (mobiles and tablets)

The network administrators can check the following stats counters to know the amount of data accessed through the NetScaler appliance for various media traffic types.

Media File Name Stats Counter
Microsoft Smooth Streaming
  • mcmssmthstrmvid—This counter records the total number of Microsoft Smooth Streaming videos served by the NetScaler appliance.
  • Mcmssmthstrvidpl—This counter records the total number of Microsoft Smooth Streaming video playlists served by the NetScaler appliance.
  • Mcmssmthstrmvidbytes—This counter records the total number of data bytes served for Microsoft Smooth Streaming media traffic on the NetScaler appliance.

  • Mcmssmthstrmplvidbytespl—This counter records the total number of Microsoft Smooth Streaming playlist bytes served by the NetScaler appliance.

Apple Live Streaming
  • mccaplelivestrmngvid—This counter records the total number of Apple Live Streaming videos served by the NetScaler appliance.
  • Mccapplelivestrmngvidpl—This counter records the total number of Apple Live Streaming video playlists served by the NetScaler appliance.
  • Mcapplelivestreamingvidbytes—This counter records the total number of data bytes served for Apple Live Streaming media traffic on the NetScaler appliance.

  • Mcapplelivestreamingplaylistvidbytespl—This counter records the total number of Apple Live Playlist bytes served by the NetScaler appliance.

Audio Data Transport Stream (ADTS)
  • mcadtsaudio—This counter records the total number of ADTS audio clips served by the NetScaler appliance.

  • Mcadtsaudiobytes—This counter records the total number of data bytes served for ADTS media traffic on the NetScaler appliance.

Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)
  • Mcaacaudio—This counter records the total number of AAC audio clips served by the NetScaler appliance.

  • Mcaacaudiobytes—This counter records the total number of data bytes served for AAC media traffic on the NetScaler appliance.

Flash Video (FLV)
  • Mcflvvid—This counter records the total number of flash videos served by the NetScaler appliance.

  • Mcflvvidbytes—This counter records the total number of data bytes served for flash videos on the NetScaler appliance.

3GP

  • mc3gpvidbytes—This counter records the total number of data bytes served for 3GP media traffic on the NetScaler appliance.

The NetScaler appliance detects media file types by their signatures in the initial body bytes of the responses. For example, the initial body bytes for an mp4 file has the following signature in the response:

....ftypmp42 ....isommp42....moov...lmvhd.....c.!.c.!..

The NetScaler appliance detects the client device type by the user agent string that the client device includes in the HTTP GET request. For example, a windows phone using a UC browser will have the following user agent string in the HTTP GET request:

User-Agent: UCWEB/2.0 (Windows; U; wds 8.10; en-US; HTC; 8X by HTC) U2/1.0.0

Enabling Media Classification

By default, media classification is disabled on the NetScaler appliance. You have to enable the mode before using it.

To enable media classification by using the command line interface

At the command prompt, type:

enable ns mode Mediaclassification

To enable media classification by using the configuration utility

  • Enable media classification on NetScaler appliance

    Navigate to System > Settings > Configure Modes and select Media Classification.

  • View media traffic statistics on the NetScaler appliance

    Navigate to Optimization and click Media Classification to view the media traffic statistics.

Verifying Media Classification Statistics

You can view the media traffic statistics in the dashboard utility or using the command line interface. The dashboard utility displays summary and detailed statistics in a tabular and graphic format.

Note: For more information about statistics and charts, see the Dashboard help on your Citrix NetScaler appliance.

To View media classification statistics by using the command line interface

At the command prompt, type one of the following commands to display a summary of media classification statistics, display detailed statistics, or clear the display:
  • stat Mediaclassification
  • stat Mediaclassification -detail
  • stat Mediaclassification -clearstats

To view Media Classification statistics on the Dashboard

In the Dashboard utility, you can display the following types of media classification statistics:

  • Select Media Classification to display a summary of the media traffic statistics.
  • To display detailed media traffic statistics, click the Details.
  • To clear the media traffic statistics, click Clear.